Mariano Fortuny,
in full Mariano José María Bernardo Fortuny Y Marsal
(born June 11, 1838, Reus, Spain – died Nov. 21, 1874, Rome, Italy),
was a Spanish painter whose vigorous technique and anecdotal themes
won him a considerable audience in the mid-19th century.

After four years at
the Academy of Barcelona, Fortuny in 1858 won the Prix de Rome,
which enabled him to complete his studies at Rome. In 1859 he was
chosen by provincial authorities to go to Morocco to paint the
scenes of the war between Spain and the emperor of Morocco. He soon
returned to Spain but spent all of his remaining years in Rome,
except for a year in Paris (1869–70). In Paris he entered
into business relations with the noted art dealer Goupil; their
association brought him large sums for his paintings and an
international reputation.

Fortuny painted
occasional large works, e.g., the huge “Battle of
Tetuan,” based on an incident in the Moroccan campaign and a
fine example of pictorial reportage, charged with action and
energy. More characteristic, however, are his small genre paintings
filled with fine detail, works that attempted to recapture the grace
and charm of an imaginary 18th-century scene.

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